As mentioned in the Update from the Hockey World for today, Andrew Cogliano addressed media about his reaction to the trade. Now that I’m home and can actually absorb all this info a bit better, here is a bit more of an update, complete with reactions from vets Ethan Moreau and Steve Staios, former roomie Tom Gilbert, and more from Cogliano.

Ethan Moreau on Cogliano

I think at the end of the day, the most important thing is he handled it all the right way. He got pissed off, and he trained his ass off and he’s ready to play. He’s determined to show everybody that he shouldn’t be mentioned in any trade rumors, regardless of who it’s for. He has that confidence and he’s put himself in the physical condition that he’s going to have a really good year. It’s a credit to him that he can go two ways; you can probably feel sorry for yourself or do what he did and he worked extremely hard this summer and he’s in great shape.

It’s good that it happened this summer (as opposed to during the season). It was kind of a unique situation. In this day and age, it’s hard to handle it properly. It’s unfortunate that it happened, but what are you going to do. It happens, and it’s not a sleight against the players. If you’re going to get a player of (Heatley’s) caliber, you’re going to have to give up really good players. It’s hard to look at it that way, but it’s kind of a nice thing that you’re wanted, going the other way for such a good player I guess.

Steve Staios on Cogliano

You try and put things in perspective for him. He’s a young player and he’s a great player and he’s going to have a nice long career. I got the chance to train with him this summer and he’s fit and he’s a real professional now at a really young age. I think it might just be a good learning experience for him going forward.

Tom Gilbert on Cogliano

During the time it was going on, I chatted with him a little bit but he knew, it’s still a business. Every team is trying to improve. So whether your name gets involved or not it’s something you just can’t think about as a player because the more you think about it the more you take your focus off hockey and the team you are on.

Cogliano

…on the vets talking to him

Steve (Staios) was a big part.. he was a guy that said “this is just how things go, you put it out of your head. You’ve got a big year ahead of you.” And Moreau.. the older guys really know how to control and understand these things work because they’ve been traded. They tried to calm me down, because really it is disappointing for me.

….on when he first heard about the trade

It was just real shocking. I was just sitting on the couch, and when your name comes out, it’s pretty surreal. But after and later you just realize that it’s just pure business and they’re trying to get a guy that’s going to help the team. And I’m a guy that hasn’t been traded before, so I got a real taste of how it is and how things work in the game.

This is where I want to be, and I’m hoping that I’m here for a very long time.

…on Steve Tambellini

Steve, he was good about it. He told me exactly what was going on and he apologized for leaking out (the trade details)… obviously he didn’t want that to happen. I don’t think a lot of people did. He was first class about it and really just apologized about how it happened.

…on his role, goals and expectations for himself this year

I’ve really taken initiative to work hard this summer and get in great shape because I want to not only help the team, but have a great year. I think this is a big year because guys like me, Sam and the younger guys, we really have to step up for the team to do well.

You know what, I think I want to be an offensive guy. Obviously I think I have a lot of tools to help the team offensively, and if it means moving to the wing I’m ready to do that. I want to hopefully be on the first two lines this year. That’s where I want to play and contribute. I had 18 goals in the past two years and I really see myself doing 30 goals this year. If I have a great year, and (I am) playing with (the right) guys and doing things myself, I think it can happen.

Thirty goals? Wow! Well let’s hope that is the case. And I share his hopes of being in the top six this year as well too. He’s wasted talent on a third line, in my opinion.

I think he was on the top line LW briefly last year. He also *may* have played LW on the kid line from time to time, but that I can’t confirm. But at any rate, generally it’s pretty easy for a centerman to slide over to either wing. He’s a left handed shot though, which makes it a bit tougher to pick up one-timer passes from Hemsky.

I personally would like to see him on line 2, perhaps with Gagner centering and Penner on the other wing. Cogliano and Gagner have both had good luck playing with Penner, so he could be a good fit and bring the size they need (even if he doesn’t always use it to bang people around, he’s still usually quite good at cycling).

But ya, at any rate, Cogs could play the top line LW (I assume that’s what you are getting at), although neither he or O’Sullivan have shown much luck with Hemmer just yet.

Good to see him taking that angst and directing it in a positive fashion. Also I’m glad to see he got council from a couple of vets who have level heads. I’m starting to re-think my attitude towards those two. Damn I wish there salaries were lower!! Great guys for sure to mentor him through that.

I’ll be very excited to watch the combination of a young skilled forward with a chip on his shoulder trying to show the league that he’s a go to guy. Man I can hardly wait!!!

Yah, this season has the potential to be a good one. I find my self oddly buying into what Tambellini is selling (that this team is good enough now with just a coaching change). I even give a clean slate to Moreau and Staios. These guys both were once heroes here, they can be again. So I’ll give them a chance to prove they earned that salary increase.

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